Maidana ready to take Mayweather into deep waters and end superstar's perfect record

Marcos Maidana is confident he has the power to trouble Floyd Mayweather and dethrone him as the best boxer on the planet.

The Argentine knockout-artist knows victory over Mayweather in Las Vegas next weekend will be among the biggest upsets in boxing history.

But the explosive 30-year-old is adamant he is the man to inflict a first defeat on the superstar.

On a mission: Marcos Maidana (right) believes he can be the first man to beat Floyd Mayweather

Shock: Maidana celebrates his surprise victory over Adrien Broner last December

'I am a champion and I am ready to fight for my title,' said Maidana. 'Most importantly, I am preparing to beat Mayweather. The last thing that I'm worried about is my title. I want to just train and beat Mayweather.

'This is the most important part of my career. The fight with Adrien Broner gave me a lot of exposure, but this fight itself is the biggest fight of my career and it would be a tremendous upset and that's what I'm training for, to upset the world and to do it for my country. It would be huge for my country.'

Going into the fight Maidana is regarded as a huge underdog, yet, against Broner last December he was in the same position before his brutal annihilation left the man tipped as the next star of boxing truly humbled.

And again, the Santa Fe assassin insists his role as the dark horse only makes him more determined to succeed.

'It doesn't bother me at all [what people say],' he added. 'What motivates me is that if I win, I'm going to beat the best in the world and that's what motivates me. I'm going to go out to win it.

'If others haven't been able to do it, I'm training to do it. I'm training to be the first one to do it.'

Hard work, dedication: Mayweather trains ahead of his fight with Maidana in Las Vegas next weekend

His defiant, don’t-care attitude is backed up by his trainer Robert Garcia, who believes that Mayweather has never shared the ring with a fighter as ferocious as the man dubbed ‘El Chino’.

'Against Floyd, those that have tried and come forward, they have failed, but the fact is that Floyd has never faced somebody with the power and the heart, the determination that Chino has,' he said. 'This is a fighter who doesn't worry about anything,' he said.

'He's not worrying about; I'm fighting the best pound-for-pound in the world or the best fighter in history. He's not worried about that. He gets ready to fight and do what he does best and he does it against anybody.

'It doesn't have to be the best in the world. He goes out there just to try to hurt his opponent and that's what he's training to do. He throws punches from different angles. He has tremendous power in both hands. Everybody knows that. There is no secret to that. He doesn't respect whoever is in front of him.'

Unbeatable? Mayweather outclassed Saul Alvarez last September to keep his unbeaten record

Under the tutelage of the respected Garcia, Maidana’s career has blossomed with the pair recording four wins out of four since they joined forces in 2012 following Maidana's loss to Devon Alexander.

It was Garcia who masterminded the stunning victory over Broner, with Maidana insisting - despite what some may feel - he doesn’t need the knockout to win.

'With Broner, everybody thought I had to knock him out and I beat him with a decision. I am preparing myself to go 12 rounds if it's necessary [for Mayweather],' he said.

'I'm preparing to hurt him every time I throw punches and if a knockout comes, then great, but I am preparing myself to win after 12 rounds.

'I already beat Broner the way I did and I think I can do the same with Mayweather.'

Mayweather vs Maidana is live on BoxNation on Saturday, May 3. Visit www.boxnation.com to subscribe.